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LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Unified School District’s lawsuit, alleging a former schools official stole confidential documents related to the Miramonte Elementary School sex abuse case, does not constitute a violation of the defendant’s First Amendment rights and will move forward, a judge ruled.

Los Angeles Unified’s newest board member, George McKenna, allegedly knew about an investigation into former Miramonte Elementary School teacher Mark Berndt but let him stay inside a classroom where a young victim claims he continued to sexually abuse her, according to court documents in a lawsuit against the district released this week.

Lawyers representing the parents of 15 children allegedly abused by former Los Angeles Unified school teacher Mark Berndt accused the district Friday of facilitating predators by destroying records and hiding their troubling pasts.

The case against Martin Springer, a former teacher at Miramonte Elementary School accused of inappropriately touching a third-grade girl, has been dismissed after the alleged victim’s family said she would not testify.

Los Angeles Unified Superintendent John Deasy expressed relief Friday that the molestation case against ex-Miramonte Elementary teacher Mark Berndt is over, and he lashed out at teachers unions for blocking efforts to streamline the dismissal of those who harm kids.

Described by sobbing mothers as a “perverse animal” and a “monster” who had destroyed their children’s innocence, former Miramonte Elementary teacher Mark Berndt pleaded no contest Friday to molesting 23 students and was immediately sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Los Angeles Unified has paid out more than $27 million to settle claims by nearly five dozen children who allege they were molested by former Miramonte Elementary teacher Mark Berndt, the district announced Tuesday.